What Are the Leading Risk Factors for Retinal Detachment?
Retinal detachment is a serious eye condition that can leave retinal tissue deprived of oxygen. If you experience any sudden change in visual perception, call our office immediately. Prompt intervention can spare you from permanent vision loss.
Patients should understand the risk factors for retinal detachment. For example, aging and eye injury are the most common causes of retinal detachment. If you live in Lenexa, KS, and have any of the risk factors outlined in this blog post, you can benefit from regular eye exams at a frequency advised by one of our eye doctors at Retina Associates. One of our eye doctors can give further advice on how to lower your risk of experiencing a detached retina.
What are the most common causes of retinal detachment?
Knowing the risk factors for retinal detachment can help you take steps to lower your risk of developing a detached retina. Even when retinal detachments cannot be prevented, knowing that you are at risk for developing the eye condition can make you more alert to potential symptoms.
The two most common causes of a detached retina are aging and eye injury.
Aging and Retinal Detachment
Retinal detachment is more common in people age 50 and over. The average age of retinal detachment diagnosis in the United States is 57 for males and 62 for females, according to the American Optometric Association.
One reason for the increased risk of retinal detachment may be related to changes in the vitreous, the gel-like substance that helps the eye maintain its shape. Variations in the density of the vitreous can pull on the retina and eventually cause a tear that separates the retina from the choroid (the vascular layer that holds the retina in place).
Know the Symptoms of Retinal Detachment
If you are 50 and over, you should understand the common symptoms of retinal detachment. The condition is painless, but most people with a torn retina experience vision aberrations that include:
- The appearance of floaters
- Flashes of light (photopsia) in one or both eyes
- Blurred vision
- Loss of peripheral vision
- The impression of a shadow obscuring vision
Eye Injury and Retinal Detachment
An impact to the head or another injury can cause retinal detachment. Even a small tear in the retina following an injury can quickly grow into a larger retinal detachment. Retinal detachment due to eye injury can occur at any age.
Children and teenagers who play sports are especially susceptible to retinal detachment due to eye injury. If your child is active in sports, make sure he or she knows to report any change of vision to our Shawnee office immediately.
Other Risk Factors for Retinal Detachment
Other risk factors for retinal detachment include previous retinal detachments, extreme nearsightedness, family history of retinal detachment, previous eye surgery, and certain eye diseases.
Schedule Your Eye Exam Today
Retinal detachment is a serious eye emergency that must be treated promptly. The doctors of Retina Associates, LLC constitute the largest group of retina specialists in the Greater Kansas City, Topeka, Sedalia, and surrounding area. Each of our doctors is dedicated to providing the highest level of care possible.
To schedule your visit to one of our offices, please contact our office online or call (913) 831-7400.